A thermoelectric effect refers to a phenomenon in which an electrical potential difference is generated between two contact points when both ends of two different metal wires are connected to form a closed circuit and a temperature difference is applied to the both ends.
The thermoelectric effect includes the Seebeck effect using an electromotive force generated from a temperature difference between both ends of materials and the Peltier effect performing cooling and heating by the electromotive force.
Thermoelectric materials are materials that use the Seebeck effect and the Peltier effect to convert thermal energy into electrical energy or convert electrical energy into thermal energy.
Recently, the thermoelectric materials have gained attention along with utilization of an energy harvesting technology that gathers energy wasted or consumed in everyday lives to recycle the energy as electric power.
Since waste heat may be utilized as an energy source when the Seebeck effect is used, the waste heat may be utilized in various fields such as an engine and an air exhauster of a vehicle, an incineration plant, and a medical device using human body heat.
In addition, the thermoelectric materials may be used in non-vibration, low-noise refrigerator, air conditioner, various types of micro-cooling systems, etc., that do not use a refrigerant gas when the Peltier effect is used. Particularly, when thermoelectric elements are attached to various types of memory elements, the elements may be maintained at a uniform and stable temperature while reducing the volumes of the elements, thereby improving the performance of the elements.